Bookcase end table



May ze, 1,942. F. Y. BILETZ 2,284,361

BOOKCASE END TABLE Filed Aug'. 16', 1940 Patented May 26, 1,942

UNITED STATES PATENT 'FFICE 1 2,284,361 Y Bookcast; ENDTABLE. Frank Y.Brietz, Philadelphia, Pa. Application August 16, 194.0-, serial No.352,851

2 Claims.

This invention relates to end tables such as are commonly associatedwith davenports, settees and large easy chairs, and is concernedprimarily with end tables of the typeyin'whichl book shelves areincorporated.

Ordinarily end tables are positioned closely adjacent to an arm of theparticular piece of furniture with which it is associated so asto beconviently accessible to one sitting in that piece of furniture. thatinclude book shelves the factor of convenience and accessibility to onesitting in thechair has not been carried out to a desired degree loe--causeof the relation of the end table to the piece of furniture. Theusual disposition has been to have the book shelves open outwardly, awayfrom the piece of furniture. Thus one sitting therein must arise andwalk around to a position where he can examine the contents of the bookshelf and take out a `particular volume desired. Y v

The present invention has in view, as its foremost objective, vtheprovision of an endtableV of the character above noted which is sodesigned and constructed that one sitting in an With those now known endtables vantages of the invention will in part become apparent, and inpart behereinafter stated, as the description of the invention proceeds.

The invention, therefore, comprises an kend ,table which consists of avframeworkror table .structure in which is slidably mounted a pair ofbook shelves.l The book shelves are so arranged that they open inwardlytowards the article of furniture with which the end table is associated,and means is provided for yieldably holding each of thel book shelveseither in a retracted or extended position.

For a full and more complete understanding of the invention, referencemay be had to the lfollowing description and accompanying drawing,wherein Figure'l is a view in side elevation of an end table in whichbook shelves are incorporated in accordance with the precepts of thisinvention,

article of furniture with which the end table is associated may examine,select and remove any contents of the book shelves without arising fromy his seated position.

More in detail this inventionV has, as an object, the provision of anendtable of the character above noted which includes a book shelf that isslidable in the end table. This shelf opens inwardly towards the articleof furniture with which the end table is associated, and in normal useof the end table the books are not in a position to be removed. However,when the person in the seated position desires Ia book from the shelf,the shelf construction may be slid forwardly into a position in whichits contents are accessible for selection.

Still more in detail this invention has in view, as an object, theprovision of an end table of the type above set forth in which a pair ofbook shelves are slidably mounted in the end table construction, 'asabove set forth, with one shelf mounted above the other.

The invention has in view, as a further object,`

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the structure shown-in Figure l,

Figure 3V is a horizontal section taken about on the plane representedby the line 3 3 of Figure 1,

and A l Figure 5 is an enlarged detailed View in sectionl showing thefasteningV means for yieldably maintaining the shelves in position.`

Referring now to the drawing, wherein like reference characters denotecorresponding parts,

Athe improved end table of this invention is shown as comprising a tabletop designated III, and a bottom structure referred to as I I. Extendingbetween the top II) and bottom II is an outer wall structure I2 which ispreferably-curved to impart the desired appearance'effects to the table.Also .extending between the top I!) and bottom II is an inner at wallstructure I3 which is intended to be disposed immediately adjacent tothe particular article of furniture with which the table is associated.

' Carried by-the outer wall I2 and inner wall I3, intermediate the top Iil and bottom II, is a central horizontal partition I 4. slidablypositioned between the central partition I4 and the top II) is a topbook shelf referred to in its entirety by the reference character B1.An-

' other book shelf identified as B2 is similarly posi- Figure 4 is aView in end elevation of the table,V

2 l s ment with the top III, partition I4 and bottom II, the curved endwalls I6 blend in with the curved outer wall I2 to'provide desiredappearance effects.

The upper surface of the bottom II is pro?V vided with a tongue I9, andthe upper surface of the partition I4 carries a similar tongue (dottedlines, Fig. 1). bottom I of each of the shelves B1 and Bicarries a.guide groove I8 which receives the corresponding tongue I9Y in'bottomkII and the up per surface of partition I4. vThe tongues I9 and groovesI8 in the bottom of shelves B1 and B2 cooperate to guide the respectiveshelf .in its sliding movement from retracted to 'extended position, andvice versa.

The inner wall I3, at a point adjacent one'sicleVK edge, carries anelement of a fastening device,;

which element is identified at and shownv in detail in Figure 5. Thiselement 20 consists of a U-shaped leaf ispring'which is anchored totheinner face of the wall l I `3- by an appropriate Vfas-Y tening meanssuch as af screw shown at-2I. Y

One side of the U-shaped spring engages the wall I3, while the outer'orfree leaf is formed other side edge.

The underface of theVV clearly understood that the invention` is not tobe limited to the exact constructions illustrated and described, becausevarious modifications of these details may be provided in putting theinvention into practice within thevpurview of theV a'p'pendedv claims. l

. 1'.`An'end table comprising a housing structurehavingatable top atsuch height as to be with an opening 22. ,Adapted to,l snap into the Yopening 22 is a boss orprojection 23 formedon nearly level with the topof an arm of a conventional armchainrside walls and a bottom wallarranged `toj provide a bookshelf guideway' extending entirelyAthroughhsaidV housing structure, y

a'v bookshelf proportioned and constructed `to, retainbooks in closelyjuxtaposed relation to others With their titles facing one wall ofsaidhousing' structure andV arrangedin said rguideway for projectionfromeither end of said Vhousing vstructheother element of theAfastening,device,'whichr is identified'k at 24, andwhichis'carriedbythe bottom I5 of the book shelf. Y Y y As shown in Figure 3, eachlbottom I5 of the book shelf carries a pair of these elements 2IIV whichare spaced apart. Wlrien the boss23 of oneA element 24 is snapped intothe opening 22 of the other element 20, the shelf is in av retractedposi-v tion. When the boss 23 of the other element is snapped into theopening 22 of the leafY spring,

the shelf is in an extended position. v

It is evident that with the element 20 ofthe snap fastening deviceadjacent one side edge, as illustrated, `the end table is particularlyvide an opening vfor inspection oftitles of`books adapted forpositioning at one end only one side,

of an article of furniture, as the shelvesare in- Y, tended to beextended forwardly, to render their,

contents conveniently accessible to one sitting in an article offurniture.

If the table is to be positioned at the other side l of the articleoffurniture, thesame may befreadily adapted for such positioning by merelychang- Y bookshelf isin fully ture for inspectionof said titlesfromthegside; of said housing structure adjacent vsaid last mentionedside wall. Y Y

2. An fend.table comprising a housing .structure-having a table top atsuch-height as to be nearly level :with the top of anarm of aconvxentional armchair anddefining a: bookshelf i guideway extendingthrough said structure from end to` end, abookshelf having end walls anda connecting member'receivedin said guideway for-projection througheither;V end of saidhousing structure in said guideway, said end wallsfand connecting member 1 beingv so arranged as-toprofrom one side ofsaid bookshelf when it is projected from either end ofsaidyhousingstructure,

said endsY off said bookshelf deming closure panelsforrgthe ends of saidguideway when; said guideway. Y v

enclosed position WithinV said Y. BILETZ;

